Sugar as poison

I watched this video a number of months back, and I have been meaning to share it since that time. If you have the time, it is very informative. If not, here is the gist:

Our body processes different sugars differently. Glucose is not the same as fructose or lactose (our 3 most commonly ingested sugars). Dr Lustig asserts that in order to break down fructose to be usable by our bodies, a number of harmful by-products are created. These by-products, in his opinion, are responsible for many of the issues Americans are facing today. Weight gain. Insulin resistance, and eventually diabetes.

I can't say that I know enough biochemistry to know if he's right or wrong. But he does work through the chemistry, and I think he may have figured it out.

Why is this a big deal? Well, some companies have been pushing fructose as a safe alternative to diabetics, since it doesn't create a blood sugar spike. It may very well cause more damage than the white sugar may have done.

My take-away from this? Cut back white sugar, fruit juices, high-fructose corn syrup and regular corn syrup. We already know they aren't good for us, and now we can see at least one theory of the kind of damage they do. Eat lots of fiber. It counteracts the damage caused by fructose. Also, I will continue to avoid sugar alcohols, or what we call in our house "fake sugar." If something natural like fructose can cause so much damage, I can only imagine what something created in a test tube can do.

I stand corrected

Here is a wonderful explanation of the name of James in the New Testament. I always thought that the King James translators had changed it. While it is still very correct to say that James' real name was Jacob (Yakov), the name of James was more very convoluted mispronunciation of his name over the years. I would still argue that if the King James translators noticed this, they kept it as James in consideration of the King. Who would want to be the one to tell him that the famous apostle didn't really share his name?

I finished!!!!! Bible in 90 days

I have now read through the bible twice. Yay! This time was a struggle. I visited California in January, and didn't read much while there. I've had some other projects going - I was in charge of rechartering our pack, and I've been making a quilt for a friend. I still need to work on a blanket for my nephew (it's taking much longer than I hoped!), but I'm still glad I took the time to read again this year. I forget about different passages and learn new things each time.

This reading was different than last years - my husband bought the official Bible in 90 days as a Christmas present for me. This meant instead of the familiar KJV translation, I was reading the NIV translation instead. I do have to say, it was easier reading. I only have a couple complaints with the translation: I don't agree with the verses left out. I believe they were part of the original text. And I don't like how the word Jehovah is not found in the entire book. (please correct me if I'm wrong!) Instead of Lord of Hosts, they put in Lord Almighty, and for Lord of Lords, they put in Sovereign Lord. I think some of the meaning is lost with those changes. Still, there were interesting changes in some verses, as well as some very interesting footnotes on alternate meanings. Reading this has really driven home the article of faith: "We believe the Bible to be true as far as it is translated correctly." The KJV has mistakes in it, as well as the NIV.

For my friends that have not read the bible all the way through - do it! Set a time to start and finish. 90 days means about 45 minutes to an hour each day. Consistent reading is the key to finishing. I was amazed at how much easier it was when I wasn't trying to catch up. And I love how the scriptures end up being in my head all day. I plan to continue this as a tradition for myself every year. Hopefully it will get easier each time I do it!

Tabs I have up in my browser

1. Money Saving Mom shares Walmart's new coupon policy. Important things to note: coupons for free items cannot be printed from the internet. Any overage will count towards other items in your purchase.

2. Positively Splendid shares a tutorial on covering boxes with fabric. I realized how cheap muslin can be - so I think I'm done with buying boxes that break for the kids' toys. These will likely last just as long, and I can reuse the liner in a replacement box as necessary.

3. A friend from my quilting guild used these paints in a quilt. The quality was amazing. These are not what you'll find at the neighborhood craft store. I don't have a project planned that would use these, but it looks like it could be great fun.

4. Once I have a working stove again, I plan to get back to canning preserves, jellies, pickles, salsa , etc. These reusable lids and rings might work out to be money-saving. The cost isn't much more than what I buy at the grocery store - and those aren't reusable! I'm not sure how well they work and how long they really last. Perhaps more searching would tell? I might just try them out and see how it goes.

5. The more I look at disposable diapers, the less I want to buy any more of them! After doing some research online, I found that hemp fleece should work the best as a "soaker." Absorbent material is a must in this house. Bed are frequently wet by morning.

Yes, I always have ongoing projects. Some take months to start, and some never happen. A post in the future may just be a list of those projects floating around in my head!